The South Park community celebrated the completion of a full basketball court, two half court and tennis court behind the South Park Community Center the early evening of July 23. Fight the Fear Campaign, Seattle Storm, the Seattle Police Foundation, the South Park Plumb, Level & Square Foundation, the Seattle Storm, and Seattle Parks and Recreation collaborated.

Seattle Storm members Le’Coe Willingham and Abby Bishop, along with Adia Barnes from the 2004 championship team, ran a basketball clinic for South Park youth at the event, which also honored the life of Teresa Butz, who was tragically murdered last year, on July 29. Fight the Fear Campaign was formed after Butz’s death and provided $5,000 seed money for the project. Her partner and friends participated in the dedication.

"I think there are some kids here who have had a bit of basketball practice before," remarked Storm Forward Abby Bishop from Australia, who shot hoops with the youngsters and signed autographs on the backs of their "jr. storm" t-shirts. That organization is sanctioned by the Storm and involves youth participation. "This court now will help them a lot," she added. "It's really good to see everyone who's turned out. The one year anniversary (of Teresa Butz) is a very touching story. I had no idea about that."

"We're here to celebrate the fact that the community came together and, in a very short period of time, resurfaced courts, put a full basketball court extra hoops, tennis courts, something special the South Park community is doing," said Seattle City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, who participated in the event. "We are also here in honor of Teresa Butz's memory. The Fight the Fear campaign came out of that terrible tragedy and the Seattle Police Foundation, Seattle Storm, and Plumb, Level and Square gave an extremely generous donation too. Now we have kids dribbling basketballs this summer.

"Today is just a wonderful day to dedicate this beautiful full court and two half courts for the community and also in honor of Teresa Butz who tragically lost herr life just a stone's throw away," said Carmen Martinez, Recreation Program Specialist, South Park Community Center, who helped organize the event and lives next door. "We didn't want to make this a memorial for her, but wanted to make it in her honor. This park was not very well utilized in an area that can be awfully scary, and has been transformed into a positive place where you hear kids' laughter.

"These kids have been asking for a basketball court for a long time so Fight the Fear said 'lets step up and get the ball rolling' and donated $5000," said Detective Kim Bogucki, who also helped organize the event and brought in the Storm. She has done community outreach for the Seattle Police Department 23 years. "I do a lot of work in South Park with Carmen and I'm the LGBTQ liaison officer, and East African liaison officer, so when the incident (of the murder) happened I stepped in from a community outreach standpoint. All my friends new Teresa. I feel like I know her and have become friends with her partner and I'm just amazed at her strength and resilience through all this and she showed up tonight to see something positive with probably 20 friends."

"I love it," said Ian Hallock, Community Center Coordinator. "This is something the community has wanted for a long time and it's finally come true."